Adjustable-paddle propeller-wheel.



J. H. B. MILLER.

ADJUSTABLE PADDLE PROPELLER WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 16, 1909. 964,293., Patented July 12,1910.

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WITNESSES Sag/3 ATTORNE Y8 THE NORRIS PETERS ca, \VASHINGTON, n. :4

J. H. B. MILLER.

ADJUSTABLE PADDLE PROPELLER WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 00115, 1909.

964,298, Patented July 12,1910.

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WITNESSES l/VVEIVTOR THE NURRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

JAMES HENRY BLAIR MILLER, OF EUGENE, OREGON.

ADJ USTABLE-PADDLE PROIPELLER-WI-IEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Application filed October 15, 1909. Serial No. 522,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. B. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Eugene, in the county of Lane and State of Oregon, have invented a new and Improved Adjustable-Paddle Propeller- Wheel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an adjustable paddle wheel designed for propelling in air or water, and also for use in obtaining power, as in submerged under-shot current water wheels, or in wind wheels.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which will utilize the resistance of the air or water to the greatest advantage, and yet offer the least resistance on the recovery.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and with the working parts protected as much as possible from the action of the water, or atmosphere.

These and further objects, together with the construction and combination of parts, will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views, and in which Figure 1 is a side view in elevation, of the detachable wheel, with the cams in position; and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the center of the device, on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of the device, 1 indicates a suitable support, which may be the side of a boat or the like. Rotatably journaled in this support, there is provided a shaft 2, on which are keyed a pair of wheels 3 and 1, comprising hubs 5, in which a plurality of hollow spokes 6 are secured in any well known manner, and peripheral rings 7 secured in any well known manner to the outer extremities of the spokes 6. The rings 7 are provided with outstanding circular flanges 8, in which are journaled at suitable intervals a plurality of shafts 9, having their ends preferably extending beyond the outer faces of the flanges 8.

Secured to each of the shafts 9 intermediate the wheels 3 and 4:, there are provided a number of paddles 10 of any suitable form and material. The paddles 10 are adapted to rotate with the shafts 9 and be controlled thereby. On the outer extremities of each of the shafts 9, there are provided suitable pinions 11 and 12, which are preferably in the form of sector pinions provided with sets of teeth on each side, arranged opposite to each other, with blank spaces between them. The sets of teeth on the pinion 11, however, are staggered relative to the sets of teeth on the pinion 12 on the opposite end of the shaft 9, so that the teeth on the pinions 11 are arranged in alinement with the blank spaces on the pinions 12.

Engaging with each of the pinions 11 and 12, there are provided racks 13 and 14L on reciprocable slide-rods 15 and 16, which are slidingly supported Within the hollow spokes 6. The spokes 6 are each provided with longitudinal slots 17 adjacent the hubs 5, through which angular extensions 18 on the rods 15 and 16 are adapted to pass. The outer ends of these extensions 18 are provided with cam followers 19, which are adapted to engage in suitable circular camgrooves on cams 20 and 21. These cams 20 and 21 are preferably stationary and secured in any well known manner to the support 1. These cams 20 and 21, however, are arranged directly opposite, so that the center of the cam 20 lies below the center of the shaft 2, and the center of the cam 21 lies above the center of the shaft 2. By this arrangement, the rods 15 will be travelin in the opposite direction to the rods 16, an will reach their innermost limit of travel when the rods 16 have reached their outermost limit of travel, and vice versa.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the above description. The wheels 3 and 4 are rotated by means of the shaft 2, and thereby carry with them the paddles 10. Considering the device from the side illustrated in Fig. 1, when each of the paddles reaches the uppermost point of its travel, the rods 16 will have reached their outermost point of travel, and the rods 15 will have reached the innermost point of their travel. From that point on, the rods 16 will start to move back within the hollow spokes 6, causing the teeth on the racks l t to engage with the teeth on the pinions 12. This will cause the shafts 9 and the paddles 10 to rotate in a counter-clock-wise fashion, so that when each paddle reaches the level of the water, it will be in a position best adapted to draw the paddle-wheel forward, and thus draw the boat forward. As the paddles continue in their downward movement, the rods 16 are gradually pulled inwardly, simultaneously rotating the paddles 10 until they reach the lowermost point of their travel, when each of the paddles will be successively arranged in a radial position.

WVhen this point has been reached, the rack 1% on the rod 16 will have slipped by the teeth on the gear 12, so that, when this point is passed on the outward return of the rod 16, the rack 14 will slip by the blank space between the teeth on the gear 12, rendering this gear inactive. The teeth on the gear 11 on the opposite side, however, will be engaged by the rack 13 on the rod 15, which, at this point, starts on its inward travel. The paddles 10 will thus continue to rotate in the same counter-clo'ck-wise direction, assuming positions best adapted to utilize the resistance of the water or air. \Vhen the paddles have reached the uppermost limit of their travel, the racks13 on the rods 15 willhaveslipped'by the teeth on the pinions 11, so that, on the continued rotation of the paddle-wheel, the racks 13 will slip by the blank spaces in the'pinions 11, and thus render the pinions 11 inoperative The racks l l on the rods 16, however, will have reached the outermost limit oftheir travel, and on their return, will be in position to engage the teeth 011 the gears 12, and thus continue the rotation of the paddles 10. It will thus be seen that, during a complete revolution of the paddle-wheel in a clock-wise direction, the paddles will be given a hemi-rotation in a counter-clock-wise direction, and the position of the paddles during their travel through air or water will be such that the resistance of the fluid will be directed substantially normal to the surface of the paddles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described,the combination with ashaft, of a plurality of wheels connected'to said shaft, paddles pivoted to said wheels,- a plurality of stationary earns, a plurality of cam followers co-acting with said cams, rodsoperated by said cam followers, racks on said rods, and pinions connected to said paddles, engaging said racks.

2. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of wheels connected to said shaft, paddles connected to said wheels, a plurality of stationary cams, a plurality of cam followers co-acting with said cams, rods operated by said cam followers, racks on said rods, and sector pinions connected'to said paddles and adapted to intermittently engage said racks.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of wheels connected to said shaft, comprising hubs, hollow spokes and peripheral rings, paddles pivoted to said rings, rods slidingly supported in said spokes and operatively connected to said paddles, and cams operating said rods.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of wheels connected to said shaft, comprising hubs, hollow spokes and peripheral rings, paddles pivoted to said rings, rods slidingly supported in said spokes, racks 011 said rods,

pinions connected to said paddles, meshing with said'racks, and cams for operating said rods.

5. In a deviceof the class described, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of wheels connected to said shaft, comprising hubs, hollow spokes and peripheral rings, paddles pivoted to said rings, rodsslidingly supported in said spokes, racks on said rods, pinions connected to said paddles and meshing with said racks, and a plurality ofcircular cams eccentrically located on each side of said shaft, and adapted to operate said rods.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rotatable support, of a plurality of shafts pivoted to said support, paddles secured to said shafts, sector pinions secured to each end of said shafts, having their toothed portions staggered relative to each other, and means adapted to actuate said sector pinions.

7. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a rotatable support, of a plurality of paddles pivotally connected to 7 said support, a circular cam eccentrically located with respect to the center of said support, adapted to operate said paddles for a portion of a revolution, and a similar'circular cam eccentrically located with respect to the center of said support but on the opposite side thereof, adapted to operate said paddles for the remainder of the revolution.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rotary support, of a plurality of paddlespivotally connected to said 'support, a pair of cams for alternately opadapted to engage said sector pinions intermittently, cam followers for operating said 15 racks, and circular cams located With respect to the center of said first-mentioned shaft on opposite sides thereof.

In testimony Whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 20 tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES HENRY BLAIR MILLER.

Witnesses DREW GRIFFIN, Mourns J. DURYEA. 

